The Lord of the Night
by Xeres I
Summary: Born in the beginning of Zeus' reign as King of Olympus, Perseus, youngest son of Kronos and Rhea, must navigate through the impossibilities of immortal life. All while being in love and God of the Night, Loyalty and Time.
1. Chapter I

A/N: I will get back to my other stories soon, but recently I have been writing more _Percy Jackson_ and _Hunger Games_ fics. Of course I do not own Percy Jackson. If I did then I would finally have gone off my rockers, which I am sure quite a few of you think I already am. Anyways please enjoy!

The Lord of Night Ch. I

Clouds covered the moon on the island of Crete as a woman's voice rang out in agony. Deep inside what is now known as the cave of Zeus or the Idaean Cave, rested a beautiful woman that was cradling an infant son in her arms. She had just finished giving birth to the small being. The child was but a few minutes old. Yet already one could tell that the child was a strong one. If he held any of his father's strength in him, he would become a powerful god. Rhea already knew what her son would have control over. Kronos had died ten years years ago. To protect her son she stayed pregnant during that time to protect him from his brother Zeus. Finally it had been time to give birth. Her son, Perseus, would be God of Night, Loyalty, and Time. This alone would mark his power. That being said, Rhea immediately feared for the safety of the young child, as Zeus had become power hungry and would try to kill the child if he found out about the boy.

So for now she would attempt to hide her youngest son from all of Olympus. It would be hard to do especially since Hestia, her oldest daughter would be coming for her weekly visit. If Rhea called the visit off, Hestia would know something was up. Rhea would have to figure out a way to keep Hestia from finding Perseus in her home. Then again maybe, it would be a good thing if the Goddess of Family knew about her youngest brother. She would be good support for Rhea if Zeus found out.

Rhea looked at her son. Perseus was only a few hours old, yet he already looked to be a few years old, such was the way of powerful immortals to age quickly in the first week. By the end of the week, her son would resemble his father and roughly seem to be about fifty years of age. Of course, being a god, he would be able to change how he appeared rather quickly.

Rhea stood from her place on the ground, having felt completely rested after the three hour long delivery. She looked to where Perseus was resting near the back of the cave. He was such a quiet child. He did not scream much upon his entrance into the world. Rather it was she, who screamed the most. He was currently playing with the toys Kronos had made for Hestia and Hades.

When Kronos realized that Rhea was pregnant again he hid her in an attempt for revenge if Zeus defeated the Titans. Obviously it backfired on Kronos. Now Rhea was with a young child that was rapidly growing. If Rhea figured right Perseus would be about fourteen when Hestia arrived and before the end of the day would be about twenty years of age. Then his body would slowly stop growing.

"Momma?" The young rich voice sounded throughout the small cave. Rhea turned to look at young Perseus, "Yes my little one?"

"Food!" The little boy raised his pudgy arms to his mother. Rhea smiled at her youngest child, his eagerness all the more endearing to his humble, innocent and sweet face.

Rhea went into the kitchen and summoned a small bowl of corn meal, a cup of milk and some sugar. She stirred the ingredients together and heated it up cooking the food for her little boy. She placed the bowl before the boy, whose face immediately lightened with excitement and eagerness. Rhea could tell that Perseus was really hungry and ready for his first true physical meal.

Perseus was truly excited, finishing the bowl quickly handing it back to his mother so that he could ask for another bowl of food. Being a young godling, he would be very hungry as his body grew quickly. Rhea smiled and accepted the bowl and made him some more food. When she brought the food back to the boy, Perseus responded with a smile and a "Thank you Mommy."

Rhea grinned at her little boy. It was the evening time already and Perseus now resembled a ten year old boy. She looked out as the sun started to go down. Beyond she could see the moon raising into the night sky. Rhea frowned, she had not heard from Selene in some time. Word was out that Selene had not been feeling well as of late. But, now was not the time to think of that.

Rather it was time to take care of her little boy. Rhea went and sat by her little boy. She cradle him and she felt him fall asleep in her arms. Tonight would be the worst night. As he slept, his mind would be forced to acclimate to the physical changes that he was going through. When Perseus woke up, he would have the mind of a twenty year old man inside the body of a fifteen year old boy. It would at least save Rhea the struggle of having to teach him how everything worked in the world. She would have to stay up throughout the night to help him get through the pain. Rhea prayed to Chaos that the pain that he would face tonight would be the worst pain that he would ever have to face.

Rhea scoffed at that thought, she knew that her cousins, the Moirai, or the Fates, would not spare her son, just as they had not spared anyone in her family. Such was the way of being an immortal being. No one controlled Fate except of course the fates and their mother Ananke, the Primordial Goddess of Fate.

The first moans of pain came from Perseus' young body. Rhea looked down at her baby boy and held him close to her body to stabilize him as he shook in pain. Rhea cringed but she knew that it was necessary for her little boy to be at the mental state of his physical age.

It was in its own form, a blessing for the young boy, as it would make sure that he was quickly prepared for the life of a young god. It did not mean that Rhea approved of such methods for age adaptation. But it was the natural way for the young gods to become an independent god. Slowly she watched as the young child grew larger more quickly and eventually the moans became screams as the download of information grew stronger. Eventually as the moon fell in the sky, the screams died down and Perseus grew quiet once more. As the sun rose in the sky, Rhea watched as she settled him on the floor.

Perseus now looked like a fifteen year old boy. His black hair more prominent and it was obvious that he had begun puberty. Thankfully that would end that very day. By the end of the day he would look like a twenty year old man with the same aged mind. Slowly the boy began to stir awake as the dawn appeared over the sky.

Bright gold and silver eyes stared into the morning sky, "Mom?" asked a tentative voice. Rhea nodded and asked, "How do you feel Perseus?"

Perseus rubbed his face, "Really sore. The Fates visited me in my sleep last night. They explained all of this to me. Taught me as much as they could. Man my head hurts." Rhea laughed lightly as he rubbed the back of his head. She glanced wearily at the clock, "Perseus-"

Knock! Knock! It was too late Hestia had arrived.


	2. Chapter II

**I do not own PJATO. I did change Perseus' domains from Tides to Time.**

* * *

The Lord of Night Ch. II

"Mom, you there?" Hestia's voice rang throughout the abode. Rhea glanced at her son nervously before steeling herself and calling back out to her, "Yes dear, I am in the kitchen."

A beautiful young woman around the age of twenty came into the kitchen. She had beautiful brown hair that resembled her mother's hair and captivating eyes that hid flames but Perseus noted that they were warm and inviting. When Hestia turned to see Perseus, she gasped and her eyes filled with shock and curiosity, but also stayed filled with warmth and compassion.

Hestia looked him up and down then asked cautiously, "Who are you?"

Perseus bowed to the older goddess, making Hestia blush, and replied, "Hello sister, I am Perseus the youngest son of Rhea and Kronos, your youngest sibling."

If Hestia's eyes could have been any larger they would have sprung out of her head. She glanced at her mother who simply nodded before she jumped on Perseus and squeezed him in a tight hug. Perseus smiled as he hugged her back.

Hestia pulled back and asked, "What are your domains?"

Rhea answered for the slightly overwhelmed Perseus, "Perseus here is the God of Night, Time and Loyalty."

Hestia's eyes seemingly could not widen anymore, "Does Zeus know about this, mother?"

Rhea shook her head, "No and you will not be telling your brother any time soon. The less he knows the better it will be for all of us. My niece Leto has been sleeping with him and will eventually become pregnant with his child. Zeus will not like it if he knows that his children will face a majority opposition on the council if your brother is on the council and is just as likely to kill Perseus to ensure his throne."

"That Zeus guy certainly sounds like an arrogant brat." Percy broke in. Hestia laughed and Rhea smiled at Perseus' comment.

"He is a brat but he is the King of Olympus, therefore we must heed his commands for now."

Hestia stared at Perseus in wonder, surprised that she had a new brother, "Mother who will train Perseus?"

Rhea frowned for a moment, "I will I suppose, you will help me."

Hestia smirked before thinking for a moment, "We should tell Hades and Poseidon. They can help us train him, and they would love to put one over on Zeus."

Rhea thought over it for a moment before nodding, "Go ahead and contact your brothers."

Perseus looked to his mother as Hestia flashed out of their home, "Hades is the God of the Underworld and Riches right? And Poseidon is the God of the Seas, Earthquakes, and Storms?"

Rhea nodded, "Hestia is the Goddess of the Hearth, Home, and Family, she is your oldest sibling. Hades is next followed by Poseidon. Then there is Demeter, Goddess of Agriculture, Fertility, and the Harvest. Hera is the youngest of your sisters, she is the Goddess of Marriage, Women, and Childbirth, as well as a minor Goddess of Family. And of course there is Zeus God of the Sky, Lightning, Thunder, Law, Order and Justice."

"What of the other Olympians?" Perseus was curious about the rest of his family.

Rhea smiled, "Your brother, Zeus has quite a few children on the Council. There is Hermes, son of Zeus and Maia, he is the God of Trade, Thieves, Travelers, Sports, Athletes, and Border Crossings; he is also the Messenger of the Gods. There is Ares, the firstborn of Zeus and Hera, he is the God of War. There is Hephaestus, second son of Zeus and Hera, he is the God of Fire, Metalworking, Stone Masonry, Forges, and Blacksmiths. He is not very attractive, and it was made worse when Zeus threw him from Olympus as a babe. He is married to Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, Beauty, and Sexuality; she is the daughter of Ouranos. She was given to him as compensation for the wrong done to him and contrary to popular belief, she is quite enamored by his wittiness and charm. Finally there is Athena, daughter of Metis and Zeus, she is the Goddess of Wisdom, Craft, War, and Battle Strategy.

"Hades however, is not welcome on Olympus. He is the oldest son of Kronos, and Zeus fears him the most. Hence when Zeus became King, he immediately put his children on the Council. Then when it came time to vote, Zeus, Hera, Athena, Ares, Hephaestus, Aphrodite, Hermes voted in favor. Only Demeter, Poseidon, and Hestia voted against it." By now Rhea's voice was bitter as she recalled that fateful day.

Perseus could only watch with sadness. He was liking his brother less and less. No wonder Zeus feared that he would lose his throne. He was so horrible to his subjects that it was conceivable that some of them would want to have him removed from his throne.

"Mother, what does Leto see in Zeus?" Perseus' question seemed to shake Rhea out of her stupor. She looked at him, looking slightly surprised before she sighed sadly.

"One does not turn down the King of the Gods, Perseus. Not when he can threaten your loved ones. Not when he can threaten your life. Either way, Zeus is a handsome man, and when not in his kingly persona he can be quite charming. I would not be surprised if Leto met him while out hunting. She would have fallen for his charms pretty easily. If it were not for Hera and their two sons, Zeus probably would have made her his own wife."

Perseus nodded before looking at the table. Rhea placed a bowl of fruits on the table in front of him. Perseus reached out and took a green apple from the bowl and slowly bit into it savoring the amazing flavor that flooded his taste buds.

He continued to eat the fruit until the bowl was empty. As Rhea moved to refill the bowl with fruits, a knock once again sounded at the door. Rhea answered to see her eldest daughter and her two oldest sons, Hades and Poseidon. She welcomed them in, giving each of them a hug and kiss before leading them to the kitchen where Perseus sat at the table.

Hades was the first to move when he saw Perseus, surprisingly wrapping him in a hug. Poseidon turned to his mother, "What do you need us to do? Hestia only told me that you had something important to talk to us about. I assume this is about this young man here?"

Rhea smiled, "This here, is Perseus. He is the youngest son of myself and Kronos. He was conceived mere days before the death of Kronos. He has been hailed as the God of Night, Loyalty, and Time. Obviously, your brother, Zeus, cannot be made aware of existence. He is safe here, but he does need training. That I cannot provide. I am hoping the two of you can assist in training him."

Hades immediately smiled and began to nod, "Of course. When do we start?"

Rhea smiled at Hades before glaring at Poseidon, who still had some doubt present on his face. Poseidon quickly crumbled under his mother's glare and nodded his consent. Finally Rhea turned to her youngest son, "So Perseus, when do you wish to begin?"

Perseus smiled before looking at his two older brothers, "Whenever you guys are ready."

Hades looked at Poseidon, "We will each train him for six months. That should be enough time. Well, I need to go get my palace ready. I will come back in a few hours."

With that the two gods flashed away. Perseus decided this was as good a time as any to finish his meal.


	3. Chapter III

**Lord of the Night Ch. III**

 **I do not own PJATO. If I did, I would not be writing this, and Perseus would be a minimum of 800ft away from Annabeth at all times. Just saying, he works so much better with soooo many other characters. Also, as a side piece of information the story starts in 9000 B.C.E. And it takes place roughly a thousand years after Creation, by Khaos. So, the civilizations you meet in this story are very early city-states of Greece.**

 _ **A Few Hours Later**_

 _Knock! Knock!_ Hades it seemed, had returned, ready to take Perseus with him to the Underworld. By now Perseus was fully dressed and appeared to be in his forties.

Rhea answered the door to make sure it was Hades, and upon seeing her eldest son, let him in without a word. Hades looked upon him and allowed a mischievous grin to cross his face. The moment that Perseus noticed it, however, it disappeared. If he wasn't the God of of time he would have sworn he was seeing things.

He responded with a smirk and gave his mother a hug before they left, "Behave yourself Perseus. Your brothers are risking much to help you hone your powers and to train you."

Perseus smiled, but answered dutifully, "Yes mother."

Rhea rolled her eyes at his sarcasm and turned to Hades, "Take care of your brother, or you will have to deal with me. Am I understood?"

Perseus snickered as Hades quickly capitulated under her glare. Then Rhea turned the glare on him and Perseus quickly adopted an emotionless face. Finally, Hades seemed exasperated enough, "It's time we go, mother."

Rhea sighed but nodded, "Take care of yourselves my boys. I love you both."

They both responded that they loved her as well and Hades teleported them both directly to his palace in the Underworld. Perseus looked wonderingly at the walls of Stygian Iron and Obsidian. Amazingly enough, the throne in the center of the room was of simple polished onyx. It was a center of darkness in the castle, the sides depicted various scenes of death.

Hades smirked when he saw the pale face of Perseus, "Death is a part of mortal life. You have not seen it yet, but you will. When my father ruled the world, mortals were like ants upon the surface of the world. I was studying under Coeus when Kronos received his prophecy. I remember learning that all mortals went directly to Tartarus upon being visited by the spirit of Death. Now though they live here, a relatively more peaceful resting place than Tartarus."

Perseus looked at his eldest brother, "What happened to all the mortals anyways?"

Hades frowned, a sad look in his eyes, "When Zeus finally overpowered Kronos and struck the killing blow, the resulting energy blast destroyed almost all mortal life on Earth. Prometheus recreated mankind with Demeter's help, but it will be a long time before mortals flow like ants upon the surface once more."

Hades turned and looked out the balcony over Elysium, "Sometimes, I wonder if it was worth it." He turned back to Perseus, "The Kronos you learned about was evil, cannibalistic and vile. That is not, however, the father Hestia and I grew up with. He was kind to us, he loved us." He grabbed a vase and hurled it at the far wall, "That damned prophecy made him mad! He went crazy."

Perseus took this moment to speak, "I never met our father. And I am no expert in politics, but Olympus is doing well enough now. Mother told me earlier today about how you were cast from the Council. I was thinking, as bad as that is, and no doubt that is horrible what they did to you, there are some advantages."

Hades looked at Perseus in surprise but nodded for him to continue. Perseus walked out onto the balcony, "While no longer an Olympian, you are one of the most important gods. You see that justice is done for the dead, you are the frontline of defense from the monstrosities that lay in Tartarus. Should gods forbid, Typhon rise from his prison, or Gaea or Kronos rise from their slumber, it is you that Zeus will turn to for help in battle." Perseus now smirked, "You are the firstborn son of Kronos. That alone gives you much power. Not as much as dear Hestia, but more than Poseidon, and certainly much more than Zeus or I. Just a thought for your consideration."

Hades nodded, his face showing the obvious contemplation going on in his head. After a few minutes. Finally, he shook his head and smiled at his youngest brother, "Thank you. I appreciate that." Leading Perseus the door he added, "Come, I have a few prisoners in Tartarus that will assist in your training. Iapetus and Coeus, have all agreed to help train you. In return, they get to go to maximum-security holding in the Fields of Punishment for their sentences, plus reduced sentences by two millennia." Hades shared a conspiratorial grin with Perseus, "They jumped at the chance immediately. Oceanus of course would not help, not like he could anyways. Poseidon is holding him in the deepest prisons of Atlantis. He was Kronos' fiercest supporter. We felt it was better to keep him separate from the rest. The other two, well they're better left off in maximum security central guarded by an army of Cyclops."

Perseus nodded, "Makes sense, I suppose. Heavens forbid somebody actually try and put Zeus in his place."

This actually lured a laugh out of Hades, "You got spunk, I'll give you that. I don't think anybody would risk telling that to his face though. That bolt has some juice, I have seen it in action."

Hades froze for a second before giving his attention back to Perseus, "The Cyclops regiment that I needed from Poseidon is here, they will be extra security against our uncles, though I doubt they'll try anything. No training today though, tomorrow you will be getting your armor and weaponry. Poseidon has his best forgeries working on it. And Briaries the Hundred-Handed One will make your symbol of power. I'm thinking a sword, but we'll know for sure after some training with Iapetus. He is the Titan of Mortality, Pain and Violent Death. It took me and Poseidon along with the Hundred-Handed Ones to defeat him. He will be a good teacher for you."

Soon they arrived upon a field surrounded by racks of armor and weaponry. Hades brought him to a table that held swords, knives and bows. Perseus' eyes immediately went to a sword of Celestial Bronze.

He turned to Hades who nodded, and Perseus picked it up, balancing the beautiful blade in his hand. He walked out onto the training field, and without warning swung it at a training dummy. The sword split the figure in half and Perseus smiled before turning back to his eldest brother, "I want a sword like this. Who made this?"

Hades smiled, "Hephaestus made it as favor for me. He is skilled is he not?"

Perseus nodded, looking at the sword in awe, "It is beautiful."

"You can use that until the Atlantean forges finish your symbol of power. A training sword if you will."

A horn sounded, and Hades visibly perked up, "Iapetus is here now."

Perseus watched as twenty Cyclops escorted a man in a silver chiton to the field. Iapetus had silver shoulder length hair and pure silver eyes that flowed with untold power. Perseus was awed by the man before him, his presence was potent, despite his being held in Stygian Iron chains.

Finally, Iapetus locked eyes with Perseus and he gave a small smile. Perseus found himself bowing to the Older Titan, "It is good to meet you Uncle."

Iapetus' eyebrow rose, "Is that so dear nephew?" He turned to Hades and raised his chained arms, "I have sworn on the Styx to your terms, I will help the boy. May I have these removed?"

Hades nodded, and a Cyclops removed the chains from his wrists. Iapetus immediately cradled the wrists that had been chafed by the powerful chains. Finally, he fully turned to his nephew, noticing the sword in his hand, "May I see your weapon child?"

Perseus hesitated a moment but finally nodded and handed the pommel to his uncle. Iapetus balanced the sword in his hand before placing the blade on his palm to study the blade. After a few minutes he turned to Hades, "This is fine craftsmanship. Who did this?"

"Hephaestus, son of Zeus and Hera. He is the God of the Forge."

Iapetus nodded, before adding, "I will need a spear. Not my symbol of power of course, but a weapon to train Perseus nonetheless."

Hades turned to one of the racks behind him and pulled off a spear as tall as Iapetus himself. Iapetus took the spear and held it close to him. He turned to Perseus, "I am not as strong as my brothers, Krios or Hyperion would be much better than me at this I am sure, but I will do my best. Well it is getting late, I would like to see my new accommodations, and I am sure it has been a long day for you as well Perseus."

Hades nodded, "The Cyclops will escort you to your new accommodations. Come Perseus, I have a room for you here if you would like, or I can take you back to mother's house."

"I think I'd like to go back to mother's home for now. Good night Iapetus." With that they left the training grounds and Hades led Perseus back towards his palace.

Once they were there, Hades showed Perseus how to flash himself to places, "Just picture exactly where you want to be. Then when you're ready, give your body the order and it will transport you there."

Perseus allowed a picture of his mother's cave to enter his mind, and he imagined himself there in his mother's kitchen. Then when he was sure he had it right, he gave the order.

He felt his body grow in energy and size as he reappeared in the kitchen. When he arrived though, he was greeted by loud, "Ummph!" And suddenly, Perseus found himself sitting on the floor after crashing into something or rather someone.

Perseus looked around the room and was surprised to see his sister Hestia on the floor next to him. Her flaming eyes were opened wide with surprise and growing anger.

Perseus immediately paled when he saw the growing anger in her eyes, "Oh gods, Hestia, I am so sorry. I didn't know you were here, honest."

Hestia's eyes cooled down and she favored him with a small smile, "It's okay Perseus, you didn't know." A mischievous glint entered her eyes, "But you should know that not all women like being on bottom, some like being on top you know. Just so that you know for next time."

Perseus was confused for a moment before one of the lessons he had learned from the fates came to his mind. Then his face turned a deep golden hue as he figured out exactly what his oldest sister meant.

Hestia, seeing that her brother grasped her full meaning, smirked and pecked him on the cheek before flashing away. Meanwhile, Perseus sat mesmerized by the sight of her godly form.

Seconds later, Rhea walked into the kitchen and asked her son, "Is everything alright my dear?"

Perseus shook his head as if trying to clear it, before he looked up at his mother, "Women are weird."

Rhea frowned at this, "What makes you say that?"

Perseus looked back at the spot were Hestia had been, "Something Hestia said. Then, something she did."

Rhea sat down, "What did she say?"

Perseus flushes golden again and refused to meet her eyes. Rhea decided to ask a different question, "What did she do then?"

Perseus looked down and muttered something.

"Speak up Perseus, I cannot hear you clearly."

Perseus finally looked up but refused to meet her eyes. After a few moments of looking at the ceiling, he answered, "She kissed me."

Rhea's eyebrow rose at this, interesting, piece of news, "Did she now? Where did she kiss you?"

Perseus nodded, "On my cheek, but-" he went silent again, obviously unwilling to say much else about the matter.

Rhea narrowed her eyes, "Why do you think she kissed you?"

This seemed to be the right question, because finally Perseus responded fully, jumping up, "That's the thing, I don't know. Hades taught me how to teleport, so I teleported here. But when I got here, I sort of landed on her."

This caused Rhea to let out a roar of laughter, but noticing that Perseus had gone silent, embarrassment plain on his face, she nodded at him to continue his story.

"She pushed me off, and I immediately apologized. But then she said..." Here Perseus trailed off, before noticing his mother's glare, clearing his throat he finished, "She said that not all women like being on bottom and that to remember for next time that some women prefer being on top."

At this point Rhea was laughing hysterically while Perseus squirmed uncomfortably on the floor, glaring at the opposing wall. After a few minutes, Rhea was finally able to control herself. Looking at her son she said, "Yes, women are weird, but so are men."

Perseus looked ready to argue but Rhea simply kissed his forehead and flashed away. Yet again, Perseus was left dumbfounded by another of his family members. Sighing, he stood up and headed to the bedroom that Rhea had prepared for him.

When Perseus woke up the next morning, he heard his brother in the kitchen with his mother. When he entered, they didn't even notice him. Hestia was preparing some food and she gestured him to sit down at the table.

When Perseus was seated, she brought him a cup of golden liquid, "It's called nectar, you'll love it, I promise."

Perseus took a sip and nearly dropped his cup! It tastes like the fruit he had eaten the day before. Hestia seemed amused by the look on his face, "It will always taste like your favorite food, even if it changes."

Perseus smiled, "Thanks. This is amazing."

Hestia grinned, "Wait till you try ambrosia. Then you'll be glad that you can't get fat, that stuff is amazing."

By this point, Hades and Rhea had joined them at the table, each holding a warm cup of nectar. Hades looked at Perseus, "Ready for training to begin?"

Perseus nodded, "Iapetus seems to know what he is doing. To be honest though, I am excited to meet Coeus, he is the Titan of Intellect, and he knew most of the Primordials."

Hades smirked, "For the first three months you will work with Iapetus, then with Coeus for the last three months, you will get to meet him then."

With a quick goodbye to their mother and their sister, they flashed away.

 _ **A few weeks later**_

"Your speed has improved greatly Perseus, but you still need to remember that you have a blind side. Remember that I also have a blind side and utilize it." Iapetus struck with his spear at the left side of Perseus head, which was barely blocked, "Zeus will attack you from all sides. He is a sky god, the winds are with him. Though he cannot move as fast as Boreas or Hermes, he is faster than any of the other Olympians. He will always use that to his advantage."

Iapetus struck again. This time though, Perseus was prepared, jumping over Iapetus' spear and bringing his sword down across the Titan's back. This caused Iapetus to fall, Perseus quickly brought his sword down and put it under the Titan's chin, "Dead."

Iapetus grinned, "Much better. You might just survive against Zeus."

Perseus smirked, helping Iapetus stand, he responded, "Coming from you, that is indeed high praise. My mother prepared us lunch, shall we eat?"

Iapetus nodded and allowed Perseus to lead him to where Hades had set up a table for their daily noon meals. Silently they ate in peace. It was a while before Iapetus spoke, "In a few more weeks, you will continue your learning with Coeus. He will teach you a great many things. About the world and yes, a bit about fighting, but he is not the Titan of Intellect for nothing. His words are wise and his counsel, simply inspiring. Take heed of his words."

Perseus nodded, and they finished in silence.

 _ **Two weeks later**_

"Perseus, this is our uncle, Coeus. He will finish your training here in the Underworld."

Perseus dipped his head to the Titan of Intelligence. It was an honor to meet him, and underneath his stoic face, Perseus was raving with excitement. This would be a wonderful opportunity for him to learn from one of the smartest minds of their time.

"We are well met, godling. I can sense your curiosity and excitement. That is good, it will serve you well if you wish to learn under me. Coeus turned to Hades with a raised eyebrow, "By your leave?"

Hades nodded, "I will see you later Perseus."

Once they went to the training grounds, Coeus put him through several stances to better know his fighting style. Afterwards, he questioned him about many subjects. Perseus gave him the best answers he could, but it quickly became apparent that Perseus had much to learn.

And learn he did. In the months that Perseus learned under Coeus' tutelage, he met many other immortals. Among them, nymphs, Giants, gods, Titans, and even Eros, the Primordial.

In the last week of his training, Coeus decided that there was one more Primordial that Perseus should meet, "Her husband has just recently faded into the void. I like to keep her company, it's not good for her to get lonely. Besides, she can do more for you than any other deity if you are willing to learn under her."

Coeus grabbed Perseus shoulder and muttered, "Prepare yourself, godling."

They teleported to a dark and foul place. Perseus knew not where he was. He could barely see his surroundings, despite his godly powers. The only thing that Perseus knew for sure was that he'd never seen a place like this before. It was as beautiful as it was dreadful. Oddly enough, Perseus felt, for lack of better terms, at home.

Next to Perseus, Coeus had tensed up slightly, "Be on your watch Perseus. We are in a dangerous place."

Coeus led Perseus to a dark building. Dark was an understatement. It seeped pure night into the surrounding areas. Perseus felt so more at peace than he had felt in his life, even more than all the times he'd been in Hestia's presence. As Perseus analyzed the building in front of him, he noticed that as dark as the building was, the walls were decorated with what seemed to be stars. It became apparent that they were stars.

The door to the large mansion before them opened. Even before someone exited the building, Perseus dropped down to one knee. It had become clear who would be exiting the building. He was in the presence of Nyx, Primordial of the Night. Beside him, Coeus looked surprised that Perseus had reacted so quickly to her presence, however he did not kneel, rather favoring a small bow.

"Who have you brought with you Coeus? I smell the blood of Kronos and the bloodlines of Gaea." Nyx's rich voice filled the cavernous space, nearly lulling Perseus into a trance. Her presence was overwhelming, filling all of Perseus' thoughts. Perseus was however, able to denote a hint of grief in Nyx's voice. It was enough to keep his mind sharp, and answer for himself, Nyx's query.

"Milady, I am the youngest of Kronos' children, Perseus. Born after his death." Perseus' voice wavered at the end, but Nyx did not seem to notice, seemingly interested in something else, "You feel comfortable in the midst of my domain, almost as if you felt at home. Tell me child, what are your domains?"

Perseus swallowed, "I am the God of Loyalty, Time," Perseus hesitated for a moment before including, "and Night, milady."

"I see. Why have you come before me today?" Nyx's voice had tightened, just a bit. In anger or out grief, Perseus could not determine.

"I did not know that I would be coming to see you, but now that I have come, I would ask that you teach me. Allow me to learn under you, so that I may be of use to you." Perseus kept his head bowed as Nyx strode forward.

Her voice became soft as she asked, "You would serve me, son of Kronos? What about the Olympians?"

Perseus shook his head slowly, "I love my siblings, but if Zeus were to find out of my existence, he would kill me. He would see me as a threat to his rule over Olympus. It is you, that he fears above all others. I would learn under you, if you would teach me. I feel that it is only by you that I can make the best use of my abilities."

Nyx narrowed her eyes down at the godling, "Know this, Perseus, son of Kronos, if I decide to train you, it will be much worse than anything you may have endured under Hades, Iapetus, or Coeus. I will demand much more of you. First, I will break you, then when you are broken, I will build you back up. What I will do to you, will cause you to question every fiber of your own existence. Are you willing to allow yourself to go through that?"

Perseus did not need to think, to know his answer. He turned to Coeus, "Please inform my mother that I will stay here to train with Lady Nyx. Tell the others I will return when I'm ready."

Coeus seemed surprised by Perseus' choice, but did not voice his apprehension. Instead, he turned to Nyx and gave her another bow, "By your leave."

Nyx waved her hand, "Begone Titan, you are no longer needed here." When Coeus disappeared, Nyx laid her attention on Perseus' still kneeling form. She took a moment to analyze the young god. She noted that he was a seemingly strong specimen. He had not magically enhanced his strength and physical contour like Zeus, and Kronos before him had done. This told Nyx many things about Perseus.

It told her that Perseus was confident in his own abilities as a god, even if they were underdeveloped. He believed in his own strengths and did not see the need to impose his presence upon those near him. In fact, he seemed to stifle his own aura. Nyx attributed to his domain of loyalty, and an ingrained desire to instill trust of him in others.

His hair and eyes resembled those of her nephew's, but the inner strength in his eyes most definitely were inherited from Gaea. Nyx strongly suspected that if pushed beyond his limits, his vengeance would be greater and more destructive than that of Gaea herself.

She also suspected that he would be harder to break than she had initially believed. Oh well, she had time. Now that Erebus had fa-. No, she could not think about him right now. She had to be strong, just as she had promised. Training Perseus would give her a purpose once again. She would make Erebus proud of her, even from the Void.

"Stand up child and go bathe in the Acheron. As a deity, it will not kill you. However, if you are to survive here, you must be forged in fire. Follow me, I shall lead you there." Perseus did as the woman said. He knew exactly what would happen once jumped in the Acheron. He did not fear that however. He would prepare his mind for the torture that sat before him. While it did cross his mind that it had been a mistake to accept Nyx's help, he needed this training. Only she could fully train him to control the domain of Night. If it meant the torture that laid before him, then so be it.

Perseus followed her into the large house. The walls were covered with frightful images of the night. Monsters that were merely myth to even the gods were put on full display in the house. Their fierce countenances painted the otherwise night-black walls of the house. Perseus felt fear enter his blood. He did not banish it however, rather he held onto it. His fear was necessary for him to succeed. There was one lesson that Perseus had learned from his father, that to try and live without fear was folly. His father's lack of respect for fear was his downfall. It would not be Perseus'. He would endure the Acheron and anything else that Nyx threw at him.

Ahead he could see the rushing waters of the Acheron. The River of Pain churned violently, and thankfully, Perseus' ears were spared the screaming of the souls that Perseus knew inhabited the river. He knew that to a mortal, their screaming and crying out would drive many mortals to jump into the river themselves, sentencing to an eternity of torture in the waters of the river. Knowing what was coming, Perseus braced himself and jumped into the river, surprising Nyx, as she had expected some form of apprehension from the son of Kronos. This seemingly fearless move impressed the Primordial. Just maybe, she would not need to break him, merely forge him.

Nyx watched as his head reemerged from the waters. His once handsome face was now morphed and altered by the blisters and degradation of his skin. His hair had been dissolved and Perseus now resembled beast more than man. The clothing he had worn had been stripped away, dissolved by the river.

Once again, Perseus dove under the murky waters. Nyx waited another few minutes before she summoned a glass of fire from the Phlegethon. After a few more minutes, Perseus emerged from the river, any semblance to man or god removed from him. His skin had been ripped away from his face and shoulders, as well as his groin and legs. As he reached the ground, he collapsed, heaving from the pain.

Nyx came forward and gave him the glass to drink. She was surprised that he had managed as long as he had in the river. Even though he had emerged more worse for wear, he had borne the pain without a sound. Nyx watched as his skin reformed and the structure came back in his face. She watched his eyes begin to glow with power as his strength returned. The swirl of golden silver glowed in the dark shadows of Tartarus.

Perseus could feel his skin growing back in vital places. Even as the regrowth burned his skin and muscles as they reknitted, it felt like a bitter relief from the tortures of the Acheron. Just as the healing was completed, he felt a hand place itself on his shoulder. He allowed himself to look in to the darkness that were the eyes of Nyx. Despite her earlier harshness, Nyx's eyes were filled with compassion, "You have done well, godling. Each day that you are here, you shall bathe twice a day in the Acheron. The pain will temper your body and forge your soul."

Perseus could only nod, his pain was overwhelming at that moment. He numbly followed Nyx back into the house. As his body healed, his sight returned clearly, and he could see the walls in all their nightmarish glory, which caused him to give a small shudder. He quickly blocked those thoughts from his mind. He was now Nyx's guest and student for the foreseeable future. It was as great an opportunity as it could be a curse. He had decided to give himself to her so that she could mold him. He had to stick to his word, it was his best chance at learning all that he could from the deadly temptress that led him through her house.

Nyx seemed to not care that Perseus had entered his own little world while walking through the house. In all honesty though, she had entered her own little world as well. Memories came unbidden to her mind of better times. Lighter times, pardon the pun, when she had spent all her waking moments with her father Chaos, or with her husband Erebus. Now her father had locked himself away, and Erebus had faded into the Void. Part of her was angry that Coeus had brought Perseus to her. Who was he to think he could drop off godlings on her? She was not some babysitter, she was the Primordial of Night. Of course, the rational side of her knew that it was not Coeus' fault. Perseus needed proper training. Training that Olympus could never provide. When Nyx was done with her pupil, even Gaea would tremble at his might.

Nyx shook herself out of her thoughts and led Perseus to the room where he would be sleeping. Perseus looked surprised that his room did not resemble the rest of her house. The walls were made of obsidian and furnished with small paintings of different locations on Earth. Reaching into the folds of her dress, Nyx turned towards Perseus as she drew her knife on him. He looked shocked, but managed to grab both of her arms as she lunged at him. Using is weight and grip on her wrists, Perseus forced her down to the ground.

Perseus was surprised when Nyx grinned at being pinned down. She explained, "Iapetus taught you well. From now on, I will attack you randomly and without warning at any time, day or night. This will continue until you can defeat me. In the meanwhile, I will teach you how to become your domains, all of them. Now get some rest, you need to bathe before breakfast."

With that, Nyx turned and sauntered out of the room. Perseus was left in a large room alone, and thoroughly exhausted from what had happened with the river. It had taken a bit more out of him then he had expected. His mind went back to what Coeus had taught him about the Acheron. It hurt much worse than Coeus had described. Then again, Coeus had not entered the Acheron. He only had secondhand accounts of the experience.

Perseus decided that now was as good a time as ever to get to sleep. He had date with a beautifully deadly goddess of the Night. His lips curled slightly up as the thought of her face flashed through his mind.

In another part of the mansion, a silver blush tinted Nyx's cheek as she read the thoughts of the son of Kronos. Training him would indeed be interesting.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed the chapter that has been long in coming. No excuses...but in case your wondering I have gone through a recent spinal surgery and a death in the family. The good news is that Ch IV, is well underway! Pardon my grammatical errors, I am sure they abound. Feel free to tell me what you think of the chapter.**


	4. Chapter IV

**Lord of the Night Ch. IV**

 **I do not own PJATO. If I did, this story would not exist. I do NOT claim any historical accuracy, because this is Fanfiction and I unfortunately do not have the time to research all that I would need to make this as accurate as some of you would probably like. Timelines will probably be off for this reason. Also, please feel free to join the Discord Server: discord. gg/DF3Zwyj (remove any spaces). Several fanfic authors are there, including nutsofthechest and others, so please come and talk to your favorite authors! Anyways please enjoy! R &R!**

* * *

Perseus woke up early. He stretched out the muscles in his neck and shoulders. He had been Nyx's guest for some two millennia. She allowed him to visit his mother and sister weekly which was nice of her. The torture portion of Nyx's training had ended after one year. His training was also complete. However, Nyx had elicited his promise of servitude, and he had been carrying it out diligently. He had trapped Atlas under the sky after he had convinced a young demigod son of Hermes to take the sky for him. He had went toe to toe against the Titan of Strength and had barely defeated him. Yet, the son of Hermes was alive and well, while Atlas held the burden of the sky once more.

After being rescued, the son of Hermes willingly swore on the Styx to keep the existence of Perseus a secret. Then after considering what the son of Hermes had endured, Perseus made an unprecedented offer.

**Flashback**

 _Perseus looked down at the son of Hermes that now had streaks of silver in his hair, a sign of his endurance under the burden of Ouranos._

" _You have done well son of Hermes. Tell me, what is your name?"_

 _The boy responded with a small smile, "I am Luke."_

" _Luke you have done something that few immortals, let alone mortals, can do. By bearing the Burden of Ouranos, you have shown yourself to be courageous and strong of heart. I would like to make you an offer._

" _You don't need to answer immediately, but I'd like to offer you the position as my immortal lieutenant. You'd live forever, helping me rid the world of injustice."_

 _Luke's eyes widened at the prospect. Serve a god for eternity?_

 _Perseus could see that the son of Hermes was surprised by his offer, "You'd never age or die. You would serve as the First of the Warriors."_

 _Luke looked stunned, but tried to keep it hidden as he looked down at his feet._

" _Lord Perseus, I-I accept your offer." Luke kneeled before the god in front of him._

 _Perseus smiled, he knew he had made the right choice in choosing him as his lieutenant._

" _Repeat after me: I swear myself to Perseus, God of Night, Time and Loyalty. To eternally serve him in his quest to rid the world of injustice. I shall henceforth answer his call."_

 _Luke completed the oath and Perseus placed his hand on Luke's shoulder. After a second, Luke glowed a silvery golden hue. After the glow disappeared, Luke was standing straighter, his fatigue wiped away by immortality._

" _Come Luke, I have someone I wish you to meet."_

**Flashback End**

The rest was history. It had been some fifty years since Perseus had recruited Luke. He currently lived on Delos.

Perseus had acquired the island after making a deal with Lelantos. He would protect his mortal descendants from Zeus and the mortal world and it would be done on the island of Delos.

It was a small island, but that did not bother Perseus. Already there were small cities forming in Greece. Corinth, Athens and Sparta in particular, held influence.

Perseus, with the help of Nyx had cast a powerful enchantment over the island. It would appear as a barren rock to travelers on the ocean and to the gods of Olympus. However, if one stepped onto the island, they would see a beautiful island surrounded by an immense wall some forty feet high. The walls surrounded the island in a way that only ten feet from the coast was available. During high tide, only the land within the walls were safe.

On the north side of the island was the city Athana, home to the descendants of Lelantos. On the southern corner of the island sat the city of Xenou, Perseus' sacred city. In the east, a part of the wall extended into the sea, allowing for a massive port, home to a great navy. With Poseidon's blessing, the island thrived.

As Perseus walked to the dining room in Nyx's castle, he smirked at how the people of Delos worshipped. Foremost was himself, then there was Hestia, Hades, Poseidon and surprisingly, Nyx. While there were multiple temples to Poseidon, Hades, Perseus, and Hestia, on the tallest hill of the island there sat an immense temple of Stygian Iron, dedicated solely to Nyx.

Nyx had been so pleased with this that she had created an entire new species to guard the island. Called the ískios, or the shade, they were warriors made of the shadows, meant to serve and guard Delos. The rulers of the cities could summon them by the hundreds of thousands when needed.

While Athana had become the scholastic center of the island, Xenou was highly steeped in military tradition. Perseus enjoyed watching the war games that were held in Poseidon's honor each decade. They typically lasted a month and were followed by the annual Honor of Hestia, a weeklong celebration of family.

It was a great honor for the cities when one of their patron gods attended and so the patrons made sure to attend each so as to reassure them of their approval.

"Lost in thought?"

Perseus was drawn from his musing by the beautiful female voice. He turned to look at where the voice had originated. A mass of shadows congealed together to form a stunning goddess.

Perseus dipped his head to the true Lady of the Night. While there was no doubting that the bond they had shared, had indeed grown stronger, there still sat a small air of distance between them. It bothered Perseus that he could not determine the cause.

On the flip side, Nyx knew the exact reason behind the supposed distance. There still remained for her however, when she and Hestia could address the situation.

"I was thinking of Delos. The war games will begin in just a few days' time. I am pondering attending this year. I know Hestia will attend as is her way. I have not gone in over a decade. Xenia should be of age now."

Nyx smirked at Perseus, "It seems that you're long overdue for a visit there. Are you thinking of finally allowing one of Lelantos descendants into your bed? I did not know your bed was so cold that you'd resort to sleeping with the crazy daughters of that family."

Nyx laughed at Perseus as he glared affectionately at her. His face was a deep golden shade as he struggled to contain his embarrassment, "I will not be taking her to my bed. Despite her crush, I have always seen her as a daughter of mine. If I am right though, she shall be coronated, which is something I should attend. You should as well."

Nyx placed a hand on Perseus shoulder, smiling at his defensive stance, "Peace Perseus. I spoke in jest. I will probably attend and," she smirked a bit, "we both know you'd rather have me or Hestia warming your bed."

Perseus face was ridiculous to look upon. It was amusing to see the how his emotions roiled within him. Nyx took note of the slightest hint of lust that flashed through his eyes. He schooled his face with precise discipline, then mirth filled his eyes, "Only because no one else would dare to warm yours."

With that he bolted from the throne room as Nyx turned silver with anger and embarrassment. She chased Perseus until she cornered him in his room.

"You can't escape me now Percy," Nyx claimed, using the name Xenia had so fondly attributed to him.

Perseus growled, then grinned before he blew her a kiss and disappeared in a flash. Nyx was dazed for a second, she had seen Perseus' godly form before, and she did mean godly, but after their banter it had more of an effect on her than usual.

Nyx growled, when Perseus returned, there would be Tartarus to pay. Perseus knew that the flashing away had been a dirty trick, and that he would pay for it later, but it had been worth it to see Nyx's face as he flashed away.

As he appeared on the steps of his temple on Delos, he could sense the presence of citizens in his temple. He entered the temple and was surprised to see Queen Kara and Princess Xenia kneeling before his statue. It seemed that Luke had just finished giving them the Royal Blessing.

Perseus watched as Luke helped Kara rise from the ground. Xenia remained kneeling as Luke put a diadem crown on her head, "By the powers vested in me, by the High Protector of Delos, I name you Xenia Tíendu of the House Lelantos, Princess Regent of Delos."

The assembled lords and ladies of Delos cheered, "Long live the Princess! Long live the Princess!"

The applause in the temple was thunderous. While Kara was by no means old, it was custom that at eighteen, the Heir Apparent took on an "apprentice" like role in the form of Prince or Princess Regent. It gave them an opportunity to learn how to properly lead, so that when the time came, they were ready to take the throne.

Perseus watched in silence as Kara escorted Xenia out of the temple grounds to the grand crowd waiting outside. He listened as the cheers outside grew in number. King Thaddeus and his daughter Kara had been popular with the people of Delos, it seemed that the same would be true for Xenia.

Perseus silently withdrew from the temple and headed out towards Rhea's palace. It was a place of home and comfort. And if Perseus knew his mother well enough, which he believed that he did, then she would likely be there tending to her kitchen.

As he had predicted, Rhea was cooking in the kitchen. Perseus was quick to alert her to his presence by clearing his throat. She turned and smiled as one of her favorite children entered the room.

"Welcome Perseus, what brings you into my home?"

Perseus smiled and gave her a light kiss on the cheek before sitting down, "Can I not just be visiting to give you my greetings?"

Rhea smirked and stirred the soup, "You could, but I know you too well, you are here to ask me something."

Perseus smiled fondly at Rhea, she always had a knack for figuring out when something was wrong, "Mother, I seek your counsel."

He paused for a moment, unsure of how to continue his inquiry, then decided that laying it out was the best way to continue, "I find myself in a quandary. I have fallen in love."

Rhea frowned, "How is that a problem?"

Perseus' face fell into a similar frown, "I have fallen in love, with not one, but two women. I do not understand how it could be possible."

Rhea left the soup to go sit at her son's side, "And pray tell, who could these lucky women be?" She had a good idea of who it was, but it would be best to hear it from his own mouth.

Perseus groaned, "Who else? I find myself enamored with both Nyx and Hestia. It does not help that they seem perfectly cognizant of the fact. I would even suggest that the two conspire to go out of their way to embarrass me about it."

Rhea smirked inwardly, "So, you are telling me that they are both aware of the others' stake on your heart?"

Perseus nodded, not sure if he would like to hear what would next come from her mouth.

Rhea let her smile be known, "Well then, my son, the answer is obvious. You need to take the both of them and sit them down together in a room and discuss it."

Perseus turned to her, unsure, "How can you be certain?"

The pout on his face was adorable, and Rhea could not help but give him a small chuckle, "My dear Perseus, despite your old age, you remain blissfully innocent and naive to the truths of life. If they are both fully aware of the tensions between you, then they will be willing to discuss it with you."

Perseus gave his mother a sheepish grin, "Thank you."

Rhea smiled and returned to her soup, "Now off with you. Do not return until you have had your discussion with them."

Perseus stood and left her palace, heading towards the Temple of Nyx. Upon arriving, he silently called to Hestia and Nyx. He was not surprised when they appeared together. They both seemed surprised that he had summoned them to Delos.

Perseus led them to the central chambers, where not even the priestesses of Nyx were permitted. Once they arrived, he summoned chairs for the two ladies but remained standing himself.

They both seemed to know why he had called for them but waited for Perseus to speak. Unbeknownst to Perseus, Nyx and Hestia had already had a discussion about how they wished to proceed but had chosen to wait for Perseus.

"I do not know how to say this, but please bear with me, because I fear that if I do not say it right, things will never be the same between us again."

Perseus watched as Nyx and Hestia nodded. Taking in a deep breath, he continued, "I have found myself in a predicament, that to be honest I do not completely understand." He took in another deep breath, "I have found myself falling in love."

Nyx and Hestia shared a glance, would the truth be coming out now?

He continued, "Only unlike any normal being, I find myself falling in love with not one woman, as would be the norm, but rather I have found myself falling in love with two extraordinary women."

Nyx loosed a mischievous grin, "And who could it be that as found their way into your heart?"

Perseus sighed, "You are really going to make me spell it out?" When the two goddesses nodded he glanced at the ground and continued, "I have fallen in love with the both of you."

Perseus bowed his head and waited for their response. He was surprised, when after a few seconds, he heard giggles. When he looked up, Nyx and Hestia looked like they could barely contain their laughter. It was Hestia that broke first, letting loose a hearty laugh.

Nyx answered Perseus' inquiring glare, "We know this already Perseus, you may be brave and dashing and all that, but my dear, you wear your heart on a sleeve."

She looked over at Hestia, who nodded for her to continue, "We are willing to try out a three-way relationship with you."

Hestia took over, "We know how much it would hurt to choose one of us over the other, so we decided we did not want to make you try and do it."

Nyx nodded, "This does of course come with certain conditions. First off, no sex." There was a definite golden blush on all three of their faces, "At least not anytime soon. We want our first time to be special, and together."

Hestia went on, "Second, we discuss everything as we would if we were in a normal relationship. There will be no going around one of us, or us going around you. We discuss everything, otherwise, how would it work out?"

Nyx nodded and smiled at Perseus, "Sound like a deal?"

Perseus almost could not believe that they had agreed to anything of the sort. This had not been what he had been expecting. Before he even realized what he was doing, he nodded and rushed forward, grabbing the both of them into a hug. "Deal."

It was turning out to be a great day.

* * *

 **Fifteen years later:**

Perseus roamed the woods near the ruins of Mt. Othrys, searching for his next prey. He was sure he had sensed a Manticore nearby. It was certainly possible that he could be wrong, but he doubted it. His cousin, Lelantos, had ensured that he knew how to properly track and hunt down creatures. It was important that this Manticore be killed. The Manticore had been harassing the nearby villages and Hestia has desperately come to him for help. Who was he to turn down one of his girlfriends?

Perseus had agreed and was now searching for the monster. As he went further into the forest, he paused because he also sensed an immortal's presence nearby, an immortal with a signature similar to Lelantos. Just as he turned, Perseus saw the woman emerge, she was beautiful, and happened to be heavily pregnant. The woman seemed to be surprised at seeing Perseus, but she recovered quickly, "Who are you?"

Perseus cocked his head to the side, eyeing her curiously, "I am Perseus, youngest son of Kronos and Rhea, God of Night, Loyalty and Time. May I ask who you are?"

Leto was surprised by the humble tone in his voice, and she replied meekly, "Leto, daughter of Phoebe and Koios."

Perseus dipped his head to the Titaness of Motherhood, "It is an honor to meet you cousin."

Leto blushed but did a small bow, "The honor is mine Lord Perseus."

To Leto's surprise, Perseus frowned at the title that she had given him. She voiced this emotion and Perseus gave her a small smile, "I am not a Lord. I am not as my brother requiring obeisance from others. Please just Perseus."

This brought a large smile to Leto's face. She was clearly expecting a god very similar to Zeus. Perseus reckoned she had not had much contact with Poseidon or Hades, both deities being gods that acted much less pompous than their brother Zeus. When he voiced the sentiment, she affirmed it quickly.

"Are those my brother's children?" Perseus asked, pointing at her enlarged abdomen. Leto blushed deeply, "They are-how did you know it was more than one?"

"My mother is the Titaness of Family. I could tell immediately, you are bearing twins. My siblings probably could as well if you were in their presence. Though I would recommend avoiding Hera. Hera is furious because she knows of your pregnancy. According to Poseidon, she has sent Ares and Hermes to find you."

"How did you know Hera is angry, if you did not know who I was?" Leto asked.

"My sister, Hestia informed me, just a moment ago. Do not fear, she does not side with Hera on this matter. Though we should be quick to leave."

Leto's face blanched, and she began muttering to herself. Finally, she turned to Perseus, "What am I to do? I cannot fight Ares in this condition. He will surely kill me and my children."

Perseus frowned, "Come with me. I will take you to Delos. As long as you remain there, it will protect you, and Hera will not be able to find you there. For I will shield you from her, Hermes and Ares' eyes."

Perseus smiled, "They will be protected. If you will wait here, the Manticore is nearby. I have been directed by Hestia to dispose of it. He has been harassing the surrounding villages."

Perseus turned from her, now being able to block her presence from his mind so that he could track down the Manticore. At this point, he could smell the monster's scent on the wind. Pulling out his sword he flashed himself to where the Manticore was getting ready to ravage a young wolf.

"Manticore! I bring the justice of Olympus on your head. Your sentence is Tartarus for your crimes. When you reform, you are to live in the lands east of the Great Sea, in the deserts of Persia."

The Manticore turned his large head to Perseus, growling, "Godling! I will take great pleasure in partaking of your blood."

Swatting the wolf aside, the Manticore launched himself at Perseus. Perseus waited to the last moment before leaping over the monster and severing his tail. The Manticore turned howling in pain, as Perseus ducked the monster's arms and cutting off one of its legs.

As the Manticore fell to the ground, Perseus brought his sword down and cut off the Manticore's head. The monster dissolved, and Perseus turned to the injured wolf. Wiping the blood off his sword, he sheathed it and

raised his arms as he approached the wolf.

The wolf whined in pain as he approached, Perseus hushed it and laid a hand over its wounds. Purple energy flowed into the wolf's flank and slowly, the wolf's breathing came easier to it.

In his mind, Perseus reached out to the wolf, "What is your name, brave one?"

A distinctive female voice answered, "I am Nara, milord. The last of my pack." Her voice became bitter at the end, her grief evident and painful to Perseus' ears.

"I can make you immortal Nara, my sacred animal. You will forever be my companion. Never alone again."

The wolf looked up in surprise at the god that had saved her life, "You would do that for me?"

"As long as that's what you want." Perseus smile was wide, as he knew her answer.

The wolf dipped her head, "I will follow you to the end of time milord."

"Nonsense call me Perseus. Now," Perseus raised both hand over her and fused his power into her. Nara lifted herself up as she felt much stronger, and while Perseus was still kneeling, she licked his cheek in appreciation. Perseus grinned and stood, "Come we must escort Lady Leto to Delos. Hera has sent Hermes and Ares to hunt her . Delos will keep them from taking her away or harming her." Nara followed her new master down to where Leto was sitting. If Leto was surprised by the appearance of their new companion, she did not show it. Instead she stood and asked, "You disposed of it?"

Perseus nodded, smiling. Then he looked down at Nara and added, "This is Nara. My new sacred animal." Leto smiled at the wolf and grabbed Perseus' now extended hand.

Together they flashed away, and Leto gasped as she saw the island of Delos.

It was a beautiful island, filled with beautiful forests. In the center of the island stood black temple on hill that overlooked the entire walled island. On the northern coast of the island was a small village. Perseus now began walking toward the village, lightly tugging Leto along. As they walked, he pointed out various points of interests, and unique wildlife. Leto was entranced, while mainland Greece was beautiful in its own right, Delos was a paradise in comparison. Finally, as they approached the village, they watched as four horsemen rode out from the city gates, beyond the farmlands to greet them.

At the forefront of the group was a young woman who immediately jumped off her steed and kneeled before Perseus, "My lord, welcome back to Delos."

Perseus chuckled, "Rise Zanthe, it is good to be back. This is Lady Leto, she is our guest. Hera seeks her head, and I will not give her the pleasure of having it. She has sent Ares and Hermes after her, so I brought her here for safety. I will give her a home above Athana, near the temple of Nyx. There she will be safe."

Zanthe brought her right fist to her chest, "As you will it my lord." She smirked, "Princess Xenia will be glad to see you."

Leto held in a chuckle as Perseus face immediately soured, "Of course she will. When is she not happy to see me come to Delos?"

The question was rhetorical but Zanthe answered anyways, grinning, "When you told her about you, Nyx and Hestia. As I recall, she threw quite a fit. Lots of screaming. She may actually have broken some of the furniture."

Perseus grimaced, "She has been used to getting her way since she was born." Perseus turned to Leto to explain, "Xenia is Princess Regent of Delos and resides in Xenou, a large city below the hill, on the southern side of the island. She has been enamored by me since she was a child. Unfortunately, her mother, Kara, has not big on discouraging her. Thankfully, Nyx and Hestia find it amusing, rather than insulting."

"Why would Hestia or Nyx care?" Leto was curious about this.

Perseus chuckled, "That is because, they are my girlfriends."

This stunned Leto, "You are with the Primordial of Night, and the Olympian goddess of the Hearth?"

"Yes, and they can be quite possessive at times, though they do not like to admit it." Perseus was smiling at this.

Leto's eyebrow rose, "Then why keep her around?"

Perseus laughed, "I could get rid of her, but the cities of Athana and Xenou have sworn eternal loyalty to me. Their oaths are on Khaos, hence truly unbreakable. So, Xenia may be irritating, but she is fiercely loyal. She understands why I have not taken her to my bed. She does however, like to cause me some grief every time I return here."

Leto frowned but kept her mouth shut, she did not know many gods that were so merciful to humans, especially annoying human pests, like it seemed that Xenia was. It seemed though, that Perseus had made a deal with the ruling families on Delos. A deal that kept them in his favor and offered them

his protection.

She would honor that, despite the fact that it seemed that this Xenia would be quite annoying and possibly even bothersome. Perseus seemed to know what was on her mind, though he certainly was not reading it, "Xenia will not bother you. If anything she'll be overly respectful. She is Lelantos' great-great-granddaughter after all."

This surprised Leto, "I didn't know dear brother of mine had mortal descendants."

Perseus shrugged, "It happened around a few hundred years ago. I have been the patron of Delos since then. Lelantos asked it of me when Zeus started hunting him. Come, it's time to build you a palace here."

With a conspiratorial grin Perseus led Leto to the hill on the island. Once there, Perseus waved his hand. Piece by piece, a building appeared on the hill. It was beautiful, a small palace that was grand despite its size. Leto was shocked that Perseus would do such for her, she turned to him, "This is too much Perseus, why would you do this for me?"

Perseus pointed at her bulging abdomen, "Those children will be my nephews and/or nieces. They share my blood, and do not forget that you are also my cousin, daughter of Koios."

He pointed to the rest of the room, "Get yourself settled, if you need anything, notify one of the ískios," He pointed to the ískios guarding the door, "if you need anything. You are welcome to come eat dinner with Nyx, Hestia and I if it would please you."

Leto bowed her head and gave a small curtsy, "It would be my honor, Perseus."

* * *

Perseus watched as Nyx and Hestia entered the dining hall in his palace. They both gave him a kiss on the cheek, which he returned, before sitting down at the table. The past fifteen years ago had been special. He had never enjoyed life so. They had brought something he never knew he had been missing into his life.

They were both dressed in cool summer evening garb. To Perseus, it did not matter, they both looked beautiful. He almost decided to tell them, but held back. They already knew, and it was not a good time to get into a make out session, they had a guest coming over for dinner.

Within a few minutes, Leto herself walked in. She seemed surprised to actually see Nyx and Hestia. Perseus guessed that it probably had not sunk in that she would see them here.

Nyx was the first to greet the Titan of Motherhood, "Come sit and join us Leto. Dinner is about to be served."

As she spoke, four ískios came in bearing platters. They set them down on the table, and everyone dove in. Perseus was not surprised when the veal dinner was completed within a few minutes, it had been exquisite. Nyx and Hestia were quick to take Leto out of the dining hall and to the gardens outside of his castle. Perseus went over to the window, his mother had been right about Nyx and Hestia. Every moment with them was intoxicating and wonderous.

Perseus slowly made his way to the main hall. As expected, Luke was standing at attention. Perseus held out his and Luke gripped it with a grin, "Perseus, it is great to see you again."

Perseus smiled fondly at his champion, "It is good to see you as well." His face grew grim, "Did you find out what I asked?"

Luke frowned, but dipped his head in a nod, "I did my lord. It seems that Ares tracked down Leto's tracks to where you collected her. He apparently reported that an immortal of great power must have intercepted her."

If Perseus had been surprised by this, he did not show it. Luke stood and watched as Perseus paced for a moment. Finally he seemed to decide on something, "Post guards on every tower. We need to be prepared if Ares comes here."

Luke nodded and prepared to leave, but Perseus cut him short, "Afterwards, get some rest, you have circles under your eyes."

"Of course, my lord."

Perseus chuckled, it had been Luke's habit to always call him 'my lord' on 'official' occasions, including giving reports. Suddenly the air tensed and Perseus sensed an ískios headed in his direction. Turning, he was surprised at how fast it moved towards him. It halted before him.

"What is your message?"

"Lady Nyx has asked me to inform you that Lady Leto has entered labor. Lady Rhea has been informed and is on her way."

Perseus nodded and before he knew it was making his way to the gardens where they had been. They had laid Leto down as gently as they could and Perseus could tell that Leto was already in pain. It seemed though that Hestia was already doing her best to relieve her of her distress. Perseus kneeled down by her head and let the Titaness grip one of his hands. As a Titaness, her grip was already strong, add to that the pain that was amplifying her adrenaline and suddenly she had the grip of Nyx, which meant that it hurt like almost nothing Perseus had felt before.

Finally, after ages it seemed, Rhea took over, they all watched as Leto went through labor. As dawn finally approached the sky, the cries of a newborn babe were heard. Rhea handed the newborn to Leto, who cradled it close to her chest. Nyx used a knife to cut through Leto's clothing so that the babe could reach her breast. After a few moments, Nyx passed the naked babe to Hestia as Leto went into spasms once more.

Hestia smiled down at the child, "Congratulations Leto, you have a daughter."

Leto gave a faint smile before contractions wracked her body once more. The daughter of Leto seemed to understand the pain her mother was in, for she crawled out of Hestia's arms and placed a hand on Leto's forehead. Perseus was not sure what it was that the child did, but it seemed to have worked, for just a few moments later, Rhea announced that the second child was well on their way.

Within a few minutes, the second child, a son, was brought into the world. Leto cradled both children to her closely for nearly an hour, silent tears of joy running down her face. Soon she passed the son to Hestia and passed off the daughter to Perseus.

As Perseus cradled the growing child, he could not help but notice her beauty, she had wide silver eyes that scrutinized every inch of his face. For one so young she also had thick red hair. Perseus was so entranced with the child that he almost missed Hestia's question.

"What will you name the children, Leto?"

Leto pointed to her son, "Phoebus Apollo"

Perseus could not help but smile as Leto turned to her daughter.

"Phoebe Artemis."

Perseus grinned at the happy child in his arms, Artemis was an enchanting name for an enchanting goddess.

He turned to Leto, "Rest cousin, we shall watch them through the day into the night. You need to recover your strength."

Leto smiled up at him and patted his cheek, "Thank you for everything."

As promised, Rhea stayed with Leto, and Nyx, Hestia, and Perseus entered the house with the twins.

Within a few hours, two rambunctious children were bolting across the house, the adults gleefully chasing them around. For a moment, even with the threat of Ares in the air, Perseus allowed himself to relax. While they were both endearing, Artemis held a special place in his heart. One that was eerily similar to the place that Nyx and Hestia held.

It was not until Perseus felt a sharp pain in his toe and heard a scream right after that he began to put together the pieces. He was the first to find Artemis and he held her close so that Hestia could nurse her toe. It seemed that Artemis had stepped on a sharp rock that had cut her gentle skin. Neither Hestia or Nyx seemed to have noticed Perseus reacting to Artemis' pan before she herself had screamed.

Meanwhile, Perseus allowed his mind cautiously float to the point in his mind from where the pain had originated. There he found it, the small, yet powerful presence of the daughter of Leto. Shocked, Perseus turned to Hestia, "How could this be possible?"

Hestia glanced at him, curiosity in her eyes, "What? Has something happened?"

Perseus nodded slowly, "I seemed to have bonded with Artemis."

* * *

 **What does the bonding mean? What perils will Perseus have to face with Ares actively hunting for Leto? Find all this out and more in the next installment of _LotN_! Did you like it? Did you hate it? Tell me about it in a review! And if you did like it don't forget to add this to your follow list. See you next time!**


	5. Chapter V

**Lord of the Night Ch. V**

 **A/N: I do not own** ** _PJATO_** **, Rick Riordan does. Enjoy, and don't forget to RR!**

* * *

"Percy!"

The voice of Artemis rang throughout Delos, and many of the citizens watched fondly as the three week old goddess chased after Perseus towards the temple of Nyx. Both Artemis and Apollo were frequently seen running around Delos, their jovial spirit and affinity for mischievousness bringing both smiles and headaches to everyone on Delos. None was more so pleased with their activity than Leto herself. Even though they did not have their father, they took to their uncle like flies to honey. They nearly hung off of him most of the time. Leto was thankful that both Nyx and Hestia were content to let their boyfriend deal with the young godlings. Perseus himself adored the twins. From the moment that they had woken up on their second day, he had devoted most of his time to the twins and teaching them.

Perseus had cautiously nurtured the bond with Artemis, it had scared him at first. He had never seen anything like it before, and he was nervous. It had surprised him that Nyx and Hestia had reacted so well to it. As his mother claimed, they had been a good choice for him since they knew he would have to share his heart with yet another woman. It was not until Artemis was a week old that Nyx and Hestia revealed that they also shared a bond with the young godling.

This news had surprised Perseus, as it had not been something he had been expecting anything like this. Artemis for one was never upset about this. Perseus had offered to sever the bond, but Artemis vehemently refused. She revealed to Perseus that she had never known what life was like without the bond, and argued that since she had never known what it was like before a bond, why would Perseus insist on causing the pain of not one, but three lost bonds. This had put Nyx and Hestia firmly on her side of the argument, and it was an effectively ended argument.

Apollo never really cared about the ongoings of his sister and their uncle. He believed that their business was their own and he much rather spend his days with the flocks on the island. It was just a part of him, one that endeared him to his mother. He had discovered that he had an affinity for healing, and taking care of the island's elderly and ill became his favorite pastime when not cavorting around the island with his dear sister. It was after all a part of his domains. It had been on their second day of life that the fates had appeared before their mother, uncle and aunts, and announced their domains.

Flashback*

 _Perseus was serving breakfast to the two young godlings when a flash momentarily blinded all in the room. Perseus immediately reached for his sword, Nightbringer, when he was able to fully determine who was in the room. All in the room bowed to the Fates, except Nyx, who was only seen over by her sister Ananke. It was Leto who eventually stepped forward to ask about her children._

 _"Lady Fates, what will be the domains of my children?"_

 _Clotho spoke first, "As twins they are, so shall their domains be. Phoebe Artemis shall be goddess of the Hunt, the forests and hills, the moon, and archery. Her domains shall be in the dense forests and high mountains."_

 _Lachesis continued, "Phoebus Apollo is th_ _e god of music, poetry, art, oracles, archery, plague, medicine, the sun, light, and knowledge. He shall have reign among the sick and elderly, amongst the bards, his influence will reside."_

 _Atropos finished by adding, "Together they shall serve those in their care, long beyond the fall of Olympus, until the stars themselves burn into eternal dust."_

 _After all these words had been said, they flashed away. The adult gods in the room merely looked at each other, unsure of whether to be relieved at hearing their prophetic words, or be concerned that eventually, Olympus would be made to fall. All the while, the two godlings, sat content to plead for breakfast, annoyed that Perseus was taking so long to fill their hungry stomachs._

Flashback End*

After they had left, Perseus had gone about teaching them swordplay and close-quarter combat. He also called to Delos, Iapetus and Coeus, to help in their training, which was good because Perseus was no good at archery, and while Artemis and Apollo were naturally talented, they needed help to hone their skills. Iapetus helped to provide that while Coeus gave his grandchildren his knowledge and experience. He regaled them with grand tales of battles fought long before the birth of Hades. He told them tales of the hunts that Lelantos had gone on in his youth. The twins sucked it all in, wanting to learn as much as they could.

Perseus would watch, his hand on the pommel of Nightbringer, always alert. He knew that it would not be long before Ares, or Hera herself, came to Delos. He waited patiently for the Horns of Hades sounded throughout the island. Nara and her pack had been silently tracking the moves of Phobos and Deimos, the sons of Ares by Aphrodite. They were his lieutenants, and dangerous in their own right. They would be an ideal matchup, Luke's Warriors had reported that while able fighters, neither Phobos or Deimos were very bright, and tended to rely on their strength rather than skill. This was in contrast to Perseus who used speed and cunning to his advantage, making him one of the best swordfighters amongst even the immortals of Greece. It would only be a matter of time before Ares or his sons found their way to Perseus' sanctuary on Delos. And of course, there was the smallest chance that Hera herself could appear. In some ways she was more dangerous, as she carried more authority with the Olympians than Ares did. Of course, now it was only a matter of time.

* * *

As Perseus had predicted, in the second month of the twins' existence, Ares broke through the boundary of Delos and the Horns of Hades sounded the alarm. Perseus had armed himself with Nightbringer to meet Ares. Ares had brought his sons, and Perseus was flanked by Nyx, Lelantos, and Leto, now fully recovered from giving birth. Perseus had been the one to call out his nephew.

"Welcome, Ares, to my home. I must ask why have you seen it fit to enter my domain? This island is protected by me and I will not allow you to bring harm to the citizens of Delos."

"I am the God of War, and an Olympian, I will go wherever I like. Who are you to think that you can defy the orders of an Olympian?" Ares' sneer was vicious, but Perseus paid it no heed as he replied calmly, infusing power into his voice.

"I am Perseus, son of Kronos, god of Time, Night, and Loyalty. You know Lelantos and Leto," he pointed to Nyx, "And this my girlfriend."

Ares snorted, "Has the slut no name?"

Nyx fumed, "I am Nyx, Primordial of the Night, you arrogant bastard!"

With that Nyx hurled a ball of energy at the war god, tossing him several hundred yards away. Noticing Perseus' light glare she pouted, "He insulted me."

Perseus merely groaned and drew his sword as Phobos and Deimos charged the group. He took on Deimos while Lelantos and Leto took on Phobos. Nyx stood at the ready, waiting to jump in and help if needed or to combat Ares once he got back up. Deimos leapt at Perseus, sword drawn. Perseus blocked the blow and used the flat of his blade to knock his legs from under him. Before Deimos could get up, Perseus had his sword tip at Deimos throat. When Deimos put his arms up in surrender, Perseus hoisted him up then knocked him out with the butt of his sword.

Perseus dropped his unconscious form on the ground and turned to where Nyx had reengaged Ares in a fight. It was obvious who was going to win the match. While Ares was the god of War, Nyx was the Night, and this was no battle of weaponry, Nyx was using her powers against him. Ares was about as much of a match for Nyx as Phobos was for a Titan. Speaking of which, Lelantos had knocked out the second son of Ares, and tied him up in golden chains along with his brother. They would not be waking up anytime soon.

Finally, Nyx finished playing with Ares and blasted him across the island, where Perseus, Lelantos, Nyx, and Leto surrounded him. Ares merely groaned as he saw that he had been heavily beaten. Lelantos disarmed him and Perseus picked him up by his armor.

"Inform Queen Hera that if she wishes to have Leto or the children, she must collect them herself. Do not return to Delos, Ares. For if you do," Perseus shared a glance with Nyx who nodded, "I cannot guarantee your safety. Now take your children and go."

Ares limped over to his sons, put his hands on their heads, and the three of them flashed away from Delos. Perseus let out a small smile of relief as Ares flashed away with his spawn. He was a good fighter, but it did not always mean that he needed to like it. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Nyx give him an ever inquisitive gaze, making sure he was okay. Perseus gave her a small smile and held her close. Pressing a deep kiss to her lips, he let his hand run through her silken hair. She smelled of the night breeze. At least, that was the only way that Perseus knew how to describe it.

"Hey, I want in!" Perseus and Nyx broke apart to look at Hestia, in her eighteen year old form. She had a look of false consternation on her face, before it broke into a wide grin as she launched herself at the two of them. Nyx and Perseus held onto her as she laid kisses on both of their faces. The two giggled as Hestia did this, it was nice to see her in such form. She was their light in their darkest night. A beacon that held their hearts in its grasp.

Once Hestia pulled back from them, Perseus released her and Nyx and gave them both a smile, though the smile faded a bit as he looked at Hestia in confusion.

"Why are you not on Olympus?"

Hestia frowned, the pout looking adorable on her face, "I will be called away any moment now, but after I saw Phobos and Deimos I had to come see you."

Nyx and Perseus smiled and kissed the top of her head, before Nyx told her, "How sweet of you. Now go, we will see you later, little flame."

Hestia gave them both a wide grin and flashed away. Perseus turned to where Leto was now hugging her children, Lelantos watching over shoulder protectively, "Hera will likely be here soon. If we are summoned to Olympus, all of us except Nyx will be forced to go."

Nyx grunted, "I would like to see the little queen try and move me from this island without my permission."

Perseus smiled, "Of course angel. Hera would be foolish to take you on. The rest of us must be ready though."

Artemis and Apollo walked up to Perseus in their sixteen year old forms. Apollo tried to look confident, and Artemis had a beautiful golden blush on her face. It was Apollo that spoke to him first, "Thanks for defending us, even if we could have taken Ares on by ourselves."

Artemis elbowed her brother out of the way, and shyly gave Perseus a peck on the cheek, "Thank you for standing up to them."

Nyx huffed, "Hey, and what about me? I did some of the work too."

Artemis gave a shy grin before pecking Nyx's cheek as well. This seemed to have surprised Nyx because a deep platinum blush appeared on her cheeks. Perseus imagined that Nyx would not have seen that coming from a mile away. Lelantos and Leto chuckled at Nyx's surprised look. Apollo merely smirked at his sister's antics. He did not see what the others did. He did not see the affection that Artemis had for Perseus, Nyx, and Hestia. Lelantos and Leto could easily see the affection that she had for them, and they welcomed it. If anybody could protect her, it would be these three.

* * *

Perseus sat waiting, ready for Hermes or Hestia to arrive. It was obvious that Zeus would send one of them to summon him and the children of Leto. At this point, it was merely a waiting game, and even for a god of Time, Perseus' patience was wearing thin.

Perseus was pleased when after a short while, Hestia flashed in, Hermes at her side. Perseus tilted his head in curiosity to Hestia, "What took so long?"

Hestia frowned, "They wouldn't stop arguing. When they finally decided to send Hermes, I had to show him how to get here. Nyx has surrounded the island with wards, she must be pretty mad that Ares tried to get in here. I had to open the way for Hermes to enter Delos."

Leto was quick to arrive with her children, though she frowned when Hestia gave her a sad frown, "Hera has commanded that you stay on Delos, until your, um, situation, has been dealt with."

Leto's face turned a deep shade of gold, as her face contorted in anger. Thankfully she kept it in, and nodded to Hestia. Nyx took the opportunity to step forward, "I will accompany you to Olympus."

Hermes' face paled at the thought, "But, but, you are a Primordial. Lord Zeus would have my head!"

Perseus smirked, "You would disobey a Primordial. You are fiercely outnumbered Hermes, I would choose my next words wisely."

Perseus was sure that only his brother Hades, held a face more pale than the one sitting on Hermes. The poor god, not sure how to handle the situation, promptly nodded and gathered them all together to take them to Olympus.

The opulence of Olympus could only be matched by the arrogance that was present in all facets of the city. Perseus did not doubt, however, that Athena had done her job well. Behind him, Artemis and Apollo stared with both awe and fear at the immense city before them. Artemis looked up at Perseus with questioning eyes, "Who did this?"

Perseus chuckled as he pulled her in for a hug, "Your sister designed the entire city, the gods made it so. It is beautiful is it not?"

Artemis nodded, though there was a contemplative frown on her face, "It is beautiful, but it is also scary. I like Delos much better."

These words brought laughter out of everyone in the groom but Hermes, who was still flashing distrustful looks at Nyx. Together the group followed Hermes as he led them through the roads of the city to the Council Hall. Perseus had no doubt that Zeus had ordered this route as some sort of intimidation tactic. Perseus could not believe that Zeus would be foolish enough to believe that it would work., he had invited a Primordial, and her consort, and he expected to meet them on an even playing field. This did not bode well for Olympus' future if he would continue to be so arrogant.

When arriving at the throne room in Council Hall, the doors seemed to open of their own accord, and they closed tightly behind them, once again, seemingly of their own accord. Perseus watched as curious, and some hostile, faces turned their way, trying to catch sight of them.

Zeus, made apparent by his gleaming blue eyes, and long dark hair, spoke first, "Welcome to Olympus, my children."

Hera snorted, but otherwise kept her tongue in check. Zeus spared her a slight glare before turning his gaze at Artemis and Apollo who had stepped forward, heads bowed, "Have you been well?"

From the pitying glances thrown around the room, Perseus gathered that this was not the first awkward introduction of the king's children, and it likely would not be the last.

Artemis and Apollo, thankfully, seemed to have the grace to forgive their father's ineptitude. They had learned much about him from Hestia, Leto and Rhea, and they knew that this would likely be an awkward meeting. Artemis was the first to speak, "We have been well, Father. We are glad to have finally met you."

Zeus seemed to be pleased when Apollo made a similar confirmation, and it was confirmed when the King of Olympus favored his twin children with smiles. They responded in kind.

Finally Zeus turned his attention to the rest of the Council, "I would like to put it to a vote to allow my children to join the Council. All in favor."

Perseus was not surprised when all but Hera rose their hands, and he watched with veiled interest as thrones erupted from the ground, each stylistically designed for each of the twins' domains. Artemis' throne was silver and was covered in images of the moon and of mountains that hid herds of deer. Apollo's throne, was a bright golden throne, decorated with lyres and athletes.

Artemis and Apollo each shared glances with Perseus, Nyx and Hestia before taking seats on their thrones. It was then that Zeus finally turned his attention to the elephant in the room, "You attacked my son."

The charge was levied at Perseus, and Nyx stepped forward, her hands pulsing with energy, "I attacked your son. Ares should have known better than to call a Primordial goddess a whore. You are fortunate that I did not send the poor fool to Tartarus. Choose your next words wisely, son of Kronos, because I do not look favorably on insults against those I love."

Zeus, admirably, did not pale, but he did allow his face to turn scornfully at his son, who sunk further into his throne. After the glare passed, Zeus returned his sight to Perseus, "Speak for yourself, Perseus. What are your domains?"

Perseus stepped forward and dipped his head in respect, "The Fates have deemed fit to bestow on me the domains of Night, Time, and Loyalty."

This drew gasps of shock from all on the Council but the select few who had already known about his domains. Zeus himself took in a deep breath, "I see then. I suppose then, you wish to claim your throne on Olympus?"

To the shock of the Council, Perseus shook his head, "If you wished it of me, to be on this Council, than I would freely join, but of my own volition, I would not."

Zeus seemed to have a mental conversation with those in the Council, for after a few minutes, he decided, "We are in agreement, we wish for you to join the Council."

Perseus bowed his head graciously, plans already forming in his head, "I accept, Your Majesty."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry it is shorter, but I've decided to publish shorter chapters, once a month, this way I am more consistent, and we can get some story flowing. R &R!**


	6. Termination Notice! Please Read!

A/N: A MASSIVE ANNOUNCEMENT!

Due to the recent hacking situation that has been encountered here on , I will be moving all my stories (except Love of the Rider, which is on indefinite hiatus and will not be posted until I begin working on it again) to AO3. I believe that this is the safest solution to my dilemma. The key to a successful fanfiction archive is in my opinion, the "guarantee" of anonymity, the idea that I can trust that my account info will be kept secure, for the most part. I can no longer do that on , nor can I guarantee it to my readers, you guys. I will be Xeres_I on AO3, and I urge you to continue reading my stories there please. Also if you wish to get into contact with me, please feel free to contact me on the Immortal's Gathering server on Discord. It is currently the leading Discord server dedicated to Fanfiction. The invite is as follows, (please remove the spaces:) discord . gg / apn WwpG . I look forward to seeing there and on the AO3 website.


End file.
